NHRA NEWS: Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals UPDATED FACT SHEET
TORCO RACING FUELS NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals, the 21st of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Professional competitors in three categories earn points leading to 2006 NHRA POWERade Series world championships. Sportsman competitors in six categories earn points leading to 2006 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Virginia Motorsports Park, Dinwiddie, Va. From the north, take I-95 south to I-85 (Exit 51), then to Route 1 (Exit 63A). Route 1 turns into Boydton Plank Rd. Drive four miles and the Park is on the right; from the south, Take I-95 north to I-85 (Exit 51) then to Route1 (Exit 63A). Route 1 turns into Boydton Plank Rd. Drive four miles and the Park is on the right; from the southwest, take I-85 North to Dinwiddie (Exit 53), then at the top of the exit ramp take a left onto Route 703 and drive one mile until you get to the stop sign. Take a right onto Route 1/Boydton Plank Rd. and drive seven miles and the track is on the left-hand side.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 13-15, 2006 .
PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of more than $1.6 million.
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Oct. 13 - Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m.
Professional Qualifying Sessions at 2:30 and 5 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 14 - Sportsman qualifying and eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m.
Professional Qualifying Sessions at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 15 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. Final Eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, Oct. 15 , ESPN and ESPN2 HD will televise two and a half hours of race highlights at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 15 , ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 12:30 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Saturday, Oct. 14, 7-7:30 p.m., SBS 6 / Transponder 4 (11798 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, Oct. 15, 10-10:30 p.m. ET, SBS 6 / Transponder 5 (11823 MHz, horizontal)
Feeds include action with natural sound of Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock, plus interviews with winners on Sunday.
2000 EVENT WINNERS:
Larry Dixon, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Jeg Coughlin, Pro Stock. TRACK RECORDS: Top Fuel - 4.494 seconds by Gary Scelzi, April 1999; 321.12 mph by Scelzi, April 1999 Funny Car - 4.887 seconds by John Force, April 1998; 310.66 mph by Force, April 1998 Pro Stock - 6.840 seconds by Kurt Johnson, April 1999; 202.24 mph by Warren Johnson, April 1999 NATIONAL RECORDS: Top Fuel - 4.437 sec. (Sept. '05, Joliet, Ill.) and 336.15 mph (May '05, Columbus, Ohio) by Tony Schumacher. Funny Car - 4.665 sec. (Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill.) and 333.58 mph (Oct. '04, Joliet, Ill.) by John Force. Pro Stock - 6.609 sec. ( Sept. '06, Reading, Pa.) and 208. 91 mph ( Sept. '06 , Reading, Pa.) by Greg Anderson. TICKETS: For tickets call Virginia Motorsports Park, (804) 862-3174. Tickets also available at ticketmaster.com. GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $30; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $40; Junior (6-12 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $45; Junior (6-12 years) $10; Child (5 years and under), free with paying adult in general admission and pit areas each day. RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $40; Junior (6-12), $18; Child (5 years and younger), $8. Saturday: Adult, $50; Junior (6-12 years), $20; Child (5 years and under), $10. Sunday: Adult, $55; Junior (6-12 years), $25; Child (5 years and under), $15. NHRA RAIN POLICY: The value of all tickets purchased for last weekend's rain-delayed event will be honored at this weekend's race, or next season's event. RAIN-DELAYED TORCO RACING FUELS NHRA NATIONALS SET TO GO THIS WEEKEND AT VMP DINWIDDIE, Va. -- NHRA POWERade Series world championship battles will resume in three professional categories this weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park during the rain-delayed Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals. Heavy rains that saturated the Mid-Atlantic region last weekend forced NHRA officials to move the $1.6 million event to Oct. 13-15. The race, which will be telecast on ESPN2 HD (Sunday, 7-9:30 p.m. ET), is the 21st of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The event marks a return to the NHRA POWERade Series schedule for Virginia Motorsports Park after a five-year hiatus. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) were winners at VMP in 2000, the last time the track hosted the world's largest motorsports sanctioning body. NHRA POWERade Series points races are intense in all three professional categories that are scheduled to compete here. Doug Kalitta holds a 52 point lead over Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel, while Brandon Bernstein is third, 62 points back. "With only three races left this year, every single point counts, so we certainly want to qualify well and hopefully go some rounds," said Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools dragster who has earned a category-leading five victories this year. "We should see some great performances at VMP. The track is very close to sea level and the weather is supposed to be cool. I know our Mac Tools team will be trying to put up some big numbers for the fans." In Funny Car, 13-time world champ Force holds a 1 point lead over Ron Capps. However, the hottest driver in the class may be Robert Hight, winner of two of the last three events. Hight sits 35 points back in third place. "We've got a car that can win this thing," said Hight, who drives the Jimmy Prock-tuned Auto Club Ford Mustang in the Force Racing stable. "Now we have momentum and we control our own destiny. That's all we could ask for." Jason Line leads three-time defending world champ and KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson by 56 points in Pro Stock. Anderson will have to be on his game to wrestle the series lead away from Line, who recently lowered the national E.T. record to 6.609 seconds at Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. "When racing does get underway, I have to have a perfect weekend if I'm going to catch up to Jason," said Anderson, a three-time winner this season in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO. "No, make that a perfect three races. And while most people think either Jason or I have it locked up, we can't forget that there are still several other drivers with a chance at the championship. That's why I've got to be at the top of my game. There's no room for a bad race." Pro qualifying sessions are set for 3 and 6 p.m. on Friday, and noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available by calling Virginia Motorsports Park at (804) 862-3174. The value of tickets purchased for last weekend's rainout will be honored at this weekend's race, or next season's event. * * * NHRA POWERade SERIES point standings Top Fuel 1. Doug Kalitta, 1,440; 2. Tony Schumacher, 1,388; 3. Brandon Bernstein, 1,378; 4. Melanie Troxel, 1,290; 5. David Grubnic, 1,167; 6. Rod Fuller, 1,163; 7. Larry Dixon, 1,012; 8. Morgan Lucas, 947; 9. Hillary Will, 917; 10. J.R. Todd, 879. Funny Car 1. John Force, 1,387; 2. Ron Capps, 1,386; 3. Robert Hight, 1,352; 4. Tony Pedregon, 1,241; 5. Eric Medlen, 1,179; 6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,143; 7. Gary Scelzi, 1,108; 8. Whit Bazemore, 956; 9. Phil Burkart, 899; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 844. Pro Stock 1. Jason Line, 1,453; 2. Greg Anderson, 1,397; 3. Dave Connolly, 1,270; 4. Kurt Johnson, 1,131; 5. Mike Edwards, 1,128; 6. Allen Johnson, 1,073; 7. Jim Yates, 1,003; 8. Greg Stanfield, 972; 9. V. Gaines, 916; 10. Larry Morgan, 908.